Steam-generator.



No. 654,888. Patented lu'ly 3|, 1900. .1. GIBDUX. I

STEAM GENERATOR.

(Application filed Nov. 29, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

am: Jase 2/2 $702M No. 654,888. Patented July 3|, I900.

" J. GIRUUX.

STEAM GENERATOR.

(Application filed Nov. 29, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' min STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

JOSEPH GIROUX, on NEW YORK, N. Y., AssIeNoRoF ONE-HALF To FREDERIOTETREAU, on SAME PLACE.

sTEAM-cENEmiToa.

srnorrrcarron forming part of Letters mat it... 654,888, detect any 3 1,19cc.

Application filed November 29, 1899. Serial No."738r725. (No model.) A

To all z'uhom it may co tcerr'z: I V

Be it known that I, JOSEPH GIROUX, a cit i-, zen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York, State of NewYork,'have' invented certain new and useful Improvements inSteam-Generators, of which the following is a specification, refer encebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a steam-boiler or steam-generating apparatus;and it has for one object to produce steam in its most effect We formfor the performance of work toproduce what is hereinafter termed livesteam, meaning not superheated or so-called dry, steam, but, asindicated, steam in its most perfect or gaseous form.

' A further object of the invention is to retain the steam at its normaltemperature of generation, and consequently at the greatest degree ofelastic force, by surrounding or inclosing the discharge for the steamby a water-space'which prevents the temperature of the steam from beingraised above that'ot the surrounding water. This construction alsoprevents any condensation from reduction of temperature.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appearinthe following description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a substantiallycentral vertical section ofan apparatusembodying my invention. Fig. 2is a horizon: tal section onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, on alarger scale, of one of the water-tubes, showing the manner of removablyconnecting them with the fire sheet or sheets of the apparatus; and Fig.4 is an inverted plan of the grate. j

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalfigures of the draw 1ngs.-

Upon any suitable base or foundation A, which mayor may not, as desired,formthe walls of the-ash-pit A, there is mounted shell B, which may becylindrical or of any other configuration. Within this shell is arrangedthewall O of the heating-chamber, which in this instanceconforms withthe outline of the exterior shell, which is cylindrical,

proper of the apparatus.

seats to form an annular water'leg or chairiber 0. Of course if theoutline of the shell isother than cylindrical the outline'of the wall orfire sheet 0 would conformtherewith, so as to produce a surroundingwater-leg. p "The shell B is provided with a crown orcap sheet B, whichalthough herein shown asbei'ng fiat may be dome-shaped orconical or lotany other superficial outline desired, and

the outlines of the various elements of my invention may'be'varied tosuit the'different circumstances under which the invention -is used solong as the relative relation of the various heating and steamcontainingcompartments exists substantially as herein shown. So, also, there maybe added to the structure herein illustrated any usual form of stays,bracings, or stay-bolts, as desired.

Within the annular wall or fire-sheet 0 there is arranged acylindrical'fire-sheet D, and an annular crown-sheet E is employed forclosing at the top the space between the sheets .O'and D, which spaceconstitutesthe heating or combustion chamber F "of thegenerator Withinthe firesheet D is arranged a cylinder G, forming a chamber H, which maybe termed the steam chamber or drum of the apparatus. A space D isproduced between the'sheet D and the cylinder G, which space constitutesa central N ow, if desired, a pipe annular water-leg. or pipes D may beemployed to provide a connecting -jpassage from the inner to the outerwater-leg, thus facilitating the circulation of water throughout theabove-mentioned water spaces or legs. Within the steam cylinder orchamber Hthere is extended a livesteam pipe, terminating at about thecentral ;portion of said chamber and of the fire-chamber of theapparatus. The steam-pipe I'may be maintained in a central position bythe .1186 of any suitable connections, including a stuffing-box I and aspider or spidersl While the pipe I may be alone employed,

still, if desired, another similar live-:steam :pipe J connected in asimilar manner, but

passing out under the generator, may be employed either alone or inconjunction with the pipe I, as desired. In the one case live steam willbe taken out of the generator at the top and in the other case out atthe bottom; but in either case it will be taken from the' centralportion of the fire-chamber, and herein is an important feature ofmyinvention, because the steam is at the same temperature as the waterwhich surrounds it at the point of its entrance into the dischargepipe.It is not superheated, whereby a per.

centage of its elasticity is destroyed. Neither is it wet, whereby thesame objection to a certain extent exists; but the steam is in its mostperfect or gaseous form,whereby it isenabled the steam as it enters thechamber H will to perform its greatest amount of work. A furtheradvantage secured by taking the steam from this point consists in theobviation of hammering resulting from condensation in the supply-pipeand in the cylinders of the engine. It will be noted that as the steamforms in the upper part of the apparatus it gains access to the centralsteamchamber through the apertures G, formed in the wall G thereof, andthat any moisture in be gradually driven therefrom as the steam passesdown to or below the central portion.

The expulsion of the moisture from the steam is insured by the fact thatit is constantly advancing toward the hottest part of the apparatus.Again, this circuitous route of the steam from the upper portion B theordinary'steam-dome of a boiler, down the central chamber G and up thepipe Inecessarily prevents the outgoing steam from lifting or carryingthe water from the generator into the supply-pipe and cylinder of themotor.

In other words, siphoning the water from the boiler is prevented by thiscircuitous route. While steam will not condense in the chamber H, stillafter shutting down and cooling off the steam within the cylinder atthat time will condense, and therefore I provide a petcock H for drawingoff such water of condensation;

tion of the tube.

As thus far described an apparatus is pro-- ed, and this serves tomaintain a circulation in the tubes. I

The lower portion of the fire-chamber is lined with fire-brick L and isprovided with a clinker-door L arranged below the stokehole B 3. Withinthe lower portion of the firechamber is the grate M. This grate isannu-' lar and has an opening M for the passage therethrough of thecentral annular water-leg, steam-chamber, and supply-pipes hereinbeforedescribed. The central portion of the grate is conical, as shown at Mand at the base of the same merges into the horizontal portion M whichisprovided at its under I surface withxa seriesof'cogs or teeth M and aplane surface M (see Fig. 4,) which serves, in connection with rollers Mto movably support the grate, while a pinion M and a crank orotherpower-conveying device serve to rotate the grate. By this means itwill be seen that fuelmay be deposited upon any part of the gratethrough a single stoke-hole or feedopening and that any portion of thegrate may be brought opposite the clinker door or doors for the removalof clinkers therefrom. The fuel may be fed byhand-or by the use i of anywell-known form of mechanical stoker,

(represented at N.) I

, While it is apparent that the door in the ash-pit A may serve as ameans of furnishing draft for the consumption of fuel upon the grate, itis not the purpose of my invention to utilize such draftalone toproducethe perfect combustion which my invention has in view. To theextent to which I utilize the .draft from below the grate it may andwill 'be produced by any suitable connection to any desired uptakedirectly orindirectly connected with the generator.

As hereinbefore stated, one of the important features of my inventionisthe provi-- sion of means for producing the most perfect combustionpossible.

With this obj ect in vided which will deliver live steam 1n a mostadvantageous condition for use; but if-itbe .desired to increasethesheating-surface of the apparatus a series of-water-tubes K may beemployed, and these may be of any desired form and arrangement; but Iprefer to use a form of tube illustrated clearly in Fig. 3. These tubesare screw-threaded into sockets K, riveted or otherwise secured to theouter surface of the fire-sheet O, and these sockets have annularflanges K forming a seat forthe packing K of any desired material whichwill render the joint waterproof. Each of the tubes has an annularthickened yvall K at its connecting end which is exteriorlyscrew-threaded to fit the'threaded socket K. A portion of this thickenedwall projects into the fire-space, forming a wrench-hold K whichfacilitates the removal and introduccylinders; butlprefer to taperthem-,as sh own, whereby the lesser body of water at and near the closedend K becomes more readily heat- These tubes may be straight V1ew lPI'OVlClQ, 1n addition to the ordinary under-draft devices, what Idenominate an infiammator, and these devices consist in means fordirecting upon the surface of the fuel and, if desired, into the body ofgases emanating therefrom a substance which will supply oxygen to thefuel and to the gases, whereby a more perfect-combustion is produced.The substance or material supplied bythe infiammator may beexhauststeam, air, or any of the hydrocarbons employed in this art.

In this instance my inflammator consists of a supply-pipe O,havingbranches O, with orrwithout valves 0 which branches extend from thesupply-pipe through thewater-leg, so as to conduct the materialfurnishing oxygen upon the fuel on the grate or into thecombustion-chamber of the apparatus, and these branches are arranged andlo; cated'so that if desired one or more of them may be simultaneouslyemployed. To pro te'ct the grate from injury by excessive heat,Igprovide an atomizer P, having a controllingvalve P, through whichwater or other cooling agent may be conducted and delivered at the underside of the grate either in the form of a spray or solid stream, asdesired. It will be noted that more than one atomizer may be employedand also that by rotating the grate a single atomizer may be sufiicient,as all parts of the grate can be brought to a point to be acted uponthereby.

In my invention as thus far described any suitable method and means ofsupplying water to the generator proper may be employed; but as theproduction of live steam is greatly facilitated by the use of cleanwater at such a.

ring to the drawings, Q represents the tender, and Q represents theuptake. The tender comprises in its make-up a water-space Q asteam-space Q and a mud-drum Q at its lower portion, the bottom wall Qhaving openings Q for the passage of sediment into the mud-drum. Theusual draw-oft cook or valve Q is connected with the bottom of thetor-glass It may also be provided upon either or both portions of theapparatus for its wellknown purposes. The capacity for water of thetender may be at least about one'third more than the capacity of thegenerator, wherebya surplus is always maintained over the requirementsof the generator proper. Through the tender there passes a fire-chamberS, which may or may not,- as desired, be provided withwater-tubes K, andat the discharge end of the fire-chamber there is a valveopening S,which is adapted to be closed, opened, or partially opened by means ofthe damper S which may be operated either by hand or any suitable systemof levers- A heating-chamber T is arranged at the end of the tender andfire-chamber S, so that the products of combustion passing therethroughto the uptake Q are utilized in heating water.

within the tender. A manhole or other suitably-closed aperture T isprovided at the bottom of the heating-chamber for the removal of ashesand cinders. The tender is attached to and connected with the generatorin the following manner, although any desired wellwhich may be bolted orriveted or otherwise connected with similar flanges projecting from thegenerator, as shown at U As a precaution against injury by heat to thefiresheets of the generator, fire-brick, fire-clay, or any othersuitable heat-resisting material is applied as shown at V, the entranceof the fire-chamber S, and at V, the exit thereof. W represents thewater-supply tube, which extends from the tender at a point W below itscrown-sheet to the water-leg C of the generator. There may be one ormore of these water-supp] y pipes. Now it willbe seen that by theconnection U the pressureof steam upon the body of water in the tenderand in the generator is equalized, and it will also be seen that thewater from the tender is con veyed to the hottest part of the waterwithin the generator, so that no chilling eiiects follow. The valves Wserve to control the water-feed, while a pipe X and valveX serve tosupply water to the tender or water-supply heater. I

The manner of use and the operation of my, invention are as follows. Aquantity of coal,

which, it will be found, will be much less than ordinarily kept upon thegrate, will be assumed to be ignited by the usual or natural draft frombelow the grate, which coal under ordinary circumstances would burn frombelow-that is, from the grate upward. Now

by supplying oxygen through the inflammator upon the surface of the coalignition takes place, and by extending said supply of oxygen to andwithin the combustion-chamber F the gases evolved from the coal arerendered GOIIl-j bustible, so that the coal and its gases are bothburned'and the greatest number of heat units possible under thecircumstances is evolved from the fuel. The heat thus produced-takeseffect through the extended heating-surface of the annular fire-chamberand heats the water within the water-legs and body of the water-chamberto the steam-producing temperature, which steam in its passage to thesupply-pipe I travels down the steam-, chamber H to, or about to, thehottest point in the generator, where it is deprived of any moisture itcontained when in the steamchamber 13" of the apparatus, and in this ingwill take place in the steam-chamberQ of the tender instead of in thesteam-cham-- ber B of the generator. This of itself is an. importantfeature of my invention.

more, as the cold water supplied to the apparatus is first brought tothe tender it cannot lower the temperature of the water within thegenerator proper, and all of the separable;

vegetable and chemical ingredients which or-" dinarily' act to obstructand scale thefiresheets of a steam-generating apparatus are Furtherfirstsep'arated and precipitated in the tender,"

various relative positions as regards the generator proper, so as toreceive the products of combustion as they pass to the uptake, and suchan arrangement of the principal elements of the apparatus may be adoptedwhich shall adapt it for use in connection with either stationary orldcomotive engines. In fact, in the latter class of engines thepreferred dimensions of the water-heating compartment as to its relativecapacity can readgenerating apparatus.

ily be secured without material variance from established forms, so thatmy invention is fully adapted for use in said forms of steam- In use andby a proper control of the damper S it will readily be seen that theapproach to perfect combus-- tion and complete exhaustion of the heatingpower of fuel can be maintained.- The idea is to extract all or as manyas-possible of-the heat units of a comparatively-small quantity of coalrather than to consume a great quantity of coal and allowing a largepercentage of its heat units to escape in an unconsumed or unutilizedcondition. With a few inches of coal upon the grate ignited below,within, and at the upper surface of the body of coal,

and'with the gases evolved therefrom supplied from an exterior sourcewith oxygen,

and with the damper at the uptake closed or nearly closed it is manifestthat the largest possible percentage of the heat units of the fuel willbe utilized. Not only will said units be utilized in thecombustion-chamber, but the remnant thereof will be retained to performthe additional duty of heating and cleansing the water-supply beforethey can possibly escape to the uptake.

I have not particularized in detail the ordinary features ofsteam-boiler construction nor attempted to show the most advantageousform and outline of the various elements of such an apparatus, as theseare well known to persons skilled in the art, and I do not thereforelimit my invention in these particulars to the exact form and detailillustra'ted and described.-

- WhatjI claim is- 1. Asteam-generatingapparatushavingits live-steamdischarge at a central portion of its combustion-chamber,and awater-space inclosing said steam-discharge; substantially as specified.

- 2. A steam-generating apparatus having a steam-chamber located at asubstantiallycontral portion of its combustion-chamber, a wa ter -spacesurrounding said steam-chamber, and means for delivering steamtherefrom; substantially as specified.

3. Asteam-generatingapparatushavingits steam-delivering meansterminating at substantially the hottest portion of itscombustion-chamber and a water-space interposed between saidsteam-delivery and combustion chamber substantially as specified.

, 4. Asteam-generatingapparatushavingits steam-delivery'means projectedtherein to a point where the steam delivered is of substantially thesame temperature as the water within the generator, and a water-spacesurrounding said delivery means; substantially as specified. I

5. A steam-generating apparatus having a central steam-chamber extendingthrough its combustion-chamber and surrounded by an interposedwater-space; substantiallyas specifled.

6. In a steam-generating apparatus, means for delivering the steamtherefrom and a wathe steam'of a temperature above that of the waterfrom which the steam was-made, whereby superheating of the steam isprevented; 1 substantially'as specified.

d 7. Inasteam-generatingapparatus,a steamchamber having an extensionprojecting into the combustion-chamber, and a circular waj terlegarranged within the combustion-cham- 1 her and surrounding saidextension; substantially as specified.

8. In a steam-generating apparatus,a steamchamber, a surroundingwater-leg arranged within thecombustion-chamber, and a steamsupplyingpipeprojecting into the said steamchamber substantially as specified.

9. A steam-generating.apparatus comprisin g an outer shell, a centralcylindrical steamchamber surrounded bya water-chamber, annular inner andouter fire-sheets, an annular crown-sheet connecting the same, and pipesconnecting the intermediate spaces between the outer shellandfire-sheets; substantially as specified.

10. In a steam-generatoxga central steam drumor chamber depending intothe area of the combustion-chamber and having openings communicatingwith the steam-chamber of the apparatus, and a Water-compartmentsurrounding said steam-chamber substantiallyas specified. I V

11, In a steam-generating apparatus comprising a steam-chambersurrounded by a water-chamber and in combination with the wall of itscombustion-chamber, an inte'riorlyscrew-threaded and flanged socket inthe wall of said combustion-chamber, a watertube provided with anexteriorly-threaded thickened wall tapered lengthwise and closed atitsend; substantially as specified.

12. In a steam-generating apparatus comh prising a combustion-chamber,asteam-chamberprojected into the area of the combustionchamber andhaving apertures communicattext-space of the generator; substantially as10 ing with the steam-chamber proper, a steamspecified.

supply pipe projected into the central steam- In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature chambenand terminating at about the cenin presence oftwo Witnesses. 5 tral portion of the combustion-chamber, a JOSEPHGIROUX.

Water-heating compartment connected with the steam-chamberproper 0f thegenerator at Witnesses:

a point above its water-line and connected ALFRED T. GAGE, from a pointbelow its water-line with the wa- APPLETON P. CLARK.

